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UC Davis Children’s Hospital has been re-verified as a level I pediatric trauma center by the American College of Surgeons, making it one of only three level I pediatric trauma centers in California and the only one between the Oregon border and Los Angeles.

The Review Committee of the Committee on Trauma of the American College of Surgeons extended the center’s re-verification until 2015, said Lynette Scherer, chief of the UC Davis Trauma and Emergency Surgery Service and co-director of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit.

Scherer said the achievement recognizes the trauma center’s dedication to providing optimal care for injured pediatric patients from the Oregon border south to Los Angeles.

UC Davis operates the only level I adult trauma center and the only level I pediatric trauma center in the Sacramento region. The other level I pediatric trauma centers in California are at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego.

Established by the American College of Surgeons in 1987, the committee’s verification program for hospitals promotes the development of trauma centers in which participants provide the hospital resources necessary for trauma care and the entire spectrum of care to address the needs of all injured patients. The spectrum encompasses the pre-hospital phase through the rehabilitation process.

The Committee on Trauma’s verification program does not designate trauma centers. Rather, the program provides confirmation that a trauma center has demonstrated its commitment to providing the highest quality trauma care. The establishment of the designation of trauma centers is the function of local, regional, or state emergency medical services agencies.

A level I trauma center provides the highest level of surgical care to trauma patients, with a full range of specialists and equipment available on site 24 hours a day. In addition, a level I trauma center participates in training of residents, is a leader in education and outreach, conducts trauma research, and participates in injury prevention.

Scherer also acknowledged the contributions of the UC Davis pediatric surgeons from the Sacramento Valley Pediatric Surgery Group along with UC Davis’ trauma surgeons for their combined efforts in providing quality care for pediatric patients and ensuring the success of the re-verification effort.

UC Davis Children's Hospital is the Sacramento region's only nationally ranked, comprehensive hospital for children, serving infants, children, adolescents and young adults with primary, subspecialty and critical care. It includes the Central Valley's only pediatric emergency department and Level I pediatric trauma center, which offers the highest level of care for critically ill children. The 129-bed children's hospital includes the state-of-the-art 49-bed neonatal and 24-bed pediatric intensive care and pediatric cardiac intensive care units. With more than 120 physicians in 33 subspecialties, UC Davis Children's Hospital has more than 74,000 clinic and hospital visits and 13,000 emergency department visits each year. For more information, visit children.ucdavis.edu.

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